บท 134: Chapter 134: The Sub-tier Magical Beast Whitepaw
"No!"
A light at the end of the tunnel! The case is solved!
Rhett stood by the window, inhaling the fresh air, a look of realization dawning in his eyes.
"So, the problem lies with the friend of the bard! In that case, there's no need to investigate Grand Duke Blue Diamond further. It seems that in the previous simulation, the bard's friend returned and informed the pirate about the rainbow-colored shell, which ultimately led to my demise. Could it be that this pirate knows something important?"
Rhett quickly pieced together the simple cause and effect. He was aware of the complex forces in the Eastern Blue Coastal region, rife with pirates and criminals. On land, the kingdom's armies and nobles maintained order, but out at sea, unexpected dangers were far more common. Anyone would need to be cautious.
"If someone is referred to as a 'great pirate' and can kill me before I even have a chance to react, they must be at least a level six or seven existence, right?" Rhett rubbed his forehead, feeling a slight headache. However, another thought crossed his mind—why would a pirate be interested in this shell? Could it actually have significant origins?
Holding the base of a goblet, Rhett took a small sip of blueberry juice, silently recalling the contents of the coastal relic book and the stories told by the bard's friend during the simulation.
"Glory from hundreds of thousands of years ago? A fragmented merman empire?" Rhett muttered to himself, then sighed. Despite the epic undertones, there was no way to verify the information.
After thinking for a while, he decided to keep the rainbow-colored shell a secret until he had the strength to explore its mysteries more deeply. During this period, he would look for other ways to gather relevant information.
Returning to his desk, he poured himself another glass of blueberry juice, slowly adding a few ice cubes. As the coolness spread through his hand, Rhett began to reflect on the other future visions from the recent simulation.
Although the details were complex, the overall outcome was quite favorable. Not only was his request to establish a new territory near the Darkstrider Hawk range approved, but Falcon Town was also retained.
Indeed, being in a remote location had its advantages, allowing for more flexibility in negotiating the conditions of his fiefdom.
Additionally, his primary goal—assigning Tyles to execute orc prisoners in the rear—was successfully achieved. This meant he could amass destiny points quickly and potentially make another breakthrough on the battlefield.
With his mind clear on the other events, Rhett finished his drink in one gulp.
That afternoon, after enjoying a hearty lunch, Rhett ventured deep into the Thornwood Forest.
Ensuring the area was secluded enough that no woodworkers from the nearby construction of Thornwood Village could see him, he stood still, recalling all the spells he had mastered and began demonstrating them in a clearing.
Earth Spike
Earth Thrust
Falling Rock
Stone Shield
Quicksand
Stone Armor
And… Sandwolf Howl!
The earlier spells were cast with ease. Except for Quicksand, Rhett had mastered the previous spells to an exceptional degree.
Only with Sandwolf Howl, Rhett could barely manage to control the spell, relying on his mage-level mental strength. He could summon and control the spell but not much more.
He knew he still had much room for improvement with Sandwolf Howl. For instance, the initial positions of the three summoned sandwolves could be fine-tuned.
Initially, he could only summon them in a line. But with enough proficiency, he could adjust their positions more strategically—surrounding the enemy from multiple directions or even attacking from above.
Additionally, controlling the sandwolves during combat, perfecting their attacks—like ramming, clawing, and biting—required extensive practice to refine the details.
It was similar to playing a MOBA game—everyone uses the same controls, but some players reach the highest ranks while others remain at the bottom. Even if both players use the same hero, the less skilled one will still be outplayed.
Before heading to the Canyon Defense Line, Rhett resolved to improve his mastery of Sandwolf Howl as much as possible. Every bit of strength gained could make a difference.
Sandwolf Howl!
Rhett's mental strength quickly summoned the spell. The earth elements converged, forming a sandwolf glowing with a yellowish hue. It stood on the ground, emotionless, staring at a boulder in front of it.
The boulder had been created earlier by Rhett using the Falling Rock spell, serving as a tool to help him practice Sandwolf Howl.
His current goal was to summon the sandwolf from above, which would be more effective in battle by surprising enemies.
To achieve this, he needed to summon the sandwolf on top of the boulder. As long as the boulder blocked the summoning, he couldn't summon the wolf directly on top, making this a challenging practice method.
This attempt failed as the sandwolf formed beside the boulder.
Exhaling softly, Rhett recalled that his control over the earth elements had been too slow and unstable, preventing the wolf from forming in mid-air.
"Let's try again!"
Sandwolf Howl!
Once more, the air filled with dense earth elements… but it failed again.
Undeterred, Rhett focused his mental energy and continued practicing.
...
One month later, in Thornwood Forest.
Rhett gazed at a sandwolf standing proudly atop a boulder, his eyes filled with joy.
After a month of practice, he had finally made progress!
He could now summon the sandwolf to fall from above, creating surprise attacks in battle that could sometimes turn the tide.
Having achieved his first goal, Rhett stretched and heard low growls coming from the nearby bushes. Curious, he made his way toward the sound.
Pushing through some branches and leaping over a thicket, Rhett found Ryle and Whitepaw.
At that moment, Whitepaw was lying on the ground, occasionally letting out low growls, with wisps of white smoke rising from its body. The wind elements around it were fluctuating noticeably, and its eyes were red with pain.
After lying down for a while, Whitepaw rolled over on the ground.
"Ryle, how's it going?" Rhett asked with concern.
This morning, Ryle had told him that Whitepaw was showing signs of fever and agitation. After communicating with it, they realized it was on the verge of a breakthrough, so they came to this secluded part of the forest.
"Well… it's going smoothly, I think. Whitepaw was fine not long ago, but then it suddenly entered this state. It seems like it's undergoing its final transformation," Ryle replied, narrowing his eyes with tension.
Breaking through to the sub-tier magical beast level was a critical milestone, marking a significant leap in life essence.
The process would undoubtedly bring about drastic changes within its body, so feeling pain was entirely normal.
However, Rhett, already knowing the outcome, remained calm and waited quietly.
Half an hour later, a thunderous roar echoed through the forest.
The tiger's roar shook the woods, startling birds into flight.
At the edge of Thornwood Forest, the woodworkers paused in their work, momentarily stunned by the faint yet powerful sound, much more imposing than an ordinary tiger's roar.
Kudin, holding a saw and standing on a log, shouted, "Why are you all standing there gawking? Get back to work!"
The woodworkers snapped back to reality and resumed their tasks—driving stakes, carrying supplies, and so on.
Meanwhile, Whitepaw had completed its breakthrough. Now a sub-tier magical beast, its body had grown noticeably larger. Its fur was smoother and glossier, its limbs more muscular, and its claws sharper and longer.
After letting out a triumphant roar, Whitepaw promptly lay down, exhausted.
It whimpered softly, gazing weakly at Ryle with a hungry look.
"Are you hungry? Haha, I was prepared for this!" Ryle exclaimed, his eyes shining with energy as he untied a small pouch from his belt and poured out a pile of windbell grass leaves.
Whitepaw, still weak moments ago, perked up at the sight of its favorite food. Like an eager puppy, it crawled over and began devouring the leaves, its tongue flicking out to gather them into its mouth.
In just a few minutes, it had finished all the leaves, even licking up the crumbs.
Then, affectionately, it nuzzled Ryle's waist with its dirt-covered face—having grown from barely reaching his thigh to now standing as tall as his waist.
"Congratulations, Ryle," Rhett said with a genuine smile as he watched the scene unfold. "Becoming a sub-tier magical beast will further enhance Whitepaw's wind-elemental abilities. It will undoubtedly be your best mount—no, your best companion."
"You're right," Ryle replied, stroking Whitepaw's head as it let out low growls of contentment. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Father, the ores you had me acquire have been sitting in the warehouse for two months now. You haven't given any to the blacksmiths for forging tools. What's your plan?"
Ryle couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer and voiced his concerns. "We still owe the Dorendo family a large debt. I'm worried that if we hold onto the ores for too long, our finances might suffer."
"Don't worry. You'll understand soon enough," Rhett said, initially thinking of explaining but deciding it was better to show through action in ten days when the ores would be sold.
"Alright…" Ryle nodded and fell silent.
The next ten days passed peacefully, with Rhett continuing his practice of Sandwolf Howl and meditating to break through his bottleneck.
Finally, on April 21st, a calm summer morning, the air filled with the sound of cicadas.
After breakfast, Rhett made his way to the warehouse, which was only about a hundred meters from the castle.
To accommodate the ores, Rhett had earlier expanded the wooden warehouse into a stone structure, standing two stories high with ample storage space.
Standing at the entrance, he let the sunlight pierce the darkness inside, revealing the piles of ores stacked on dozens of mining carts—translucent light crystal ores, blue-veined stones, and the fire-patterned ores that Rhett had urged his men to mine.
Today was cloudy.
From the early morning, Sveta had carried an umbrella, though it hadn't been needed yet. The umbrella was a gift from the cook, Maru, and Sveta kept it close, ready for any sudden summer rain.
He rushed into the manor, panting.
"Where is the lord, Rachel?" he asked a maid who was trimming the garden.
"I'm not sure, but Bess might know."
Sveta walked north a dozen steps. "Bess, have you seen the lord?"
"I don't know, Sveta. I've been pruning the bushes," she replied.
At that moment, Ryle emerged from the castle and spotted Sveta, who had his back turned, asking about his father's whereabouts.
"Hey, Sveta, are you looking for my father?"
"Oh, young master Ryle. I suppose telling you would be just as good," Sveta said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"No rush. What is it?" Ryle asked with a smile.
"A military unit passed through our territory just now. It looked like they came from the Canyon Defense Line. They saw me and sent a message, saying that the front lines are in urgent need of ores, offering high prices based on the type. Their purchase point is set in Twilight City, and they'll soon move to Firestone City in the Kingdom of Ginn. They suggested that if we're interested, we should sell there," Sveta quickly explained. Though just a steward, he knew the lord had amassed a large stock of ores, and this information could be crucial.
"Are you sure this news is accurate?" Ryle asked, his eyes wide.
"Absolutely!"
Ryle's pupils contracted as if a bolt of lightning struck his mind. "Good, go find my father and report this to him immediately. I'll be right behind you!"
With that, Ryle sprinted out of the manor, shouting, "Whitepaw!"
A roar echoed in response.
From the eastern plains along the Graystone Road, a white figure rushed toward him, stopping at his side.
Ryle leaped onto Whitepaw's back, pointed in a direction, and urged, "Whitepaw, head east, and hurry!"
...
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